NewzIntel.com

Category: Gun Control

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bradenton Convicted Felon Sentenced To More Than Eight Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Star Stewart (39, Bradenton) to eight years and nine months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Stewart was convicted following a bench trial on November 20, 2023.   

    According to evidence presented at trial and in court documents, on November 4, 2020, the U.S. Marshals Service Florida Regional Task Force sought to arrest Stewart at a residence in Bradenton pursuant to a state warrant. When the officers arrived, they observed Stewart on the back patio. Stewart fled inside the house, but was quickly located and arrested. The officers recovered a Glock 19 with an extended magazine containing 33 rounds of ammunition left behind where Stewart had been seated on the back patio. Stewart later admitted that he had possessed the firearm. As a convicted felon, Stewart is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Kenneth and Charlie D. Connally. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney James A. Muench.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Texan extradited to face multiple firearms charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Laredo is back on U.S. soil on charges of aiding and abetting straw purchasing, being a felon in possession of a firearm and transferring a firearm to a prohibited person, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Jesus Guadalupe Covarrubias had previously fled to Mexico. He is expected to make his initial appearance Feb. 24 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song at 9:30 a.m.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment against him and others Oct. 5, 2021.

    In August 2021, authorities had been conducted surveillance at a house in Laredo, according to the charges. During the operation, they allegedly observed Covarrubias and others as they exited and entered the house or garage and appeared to be placing items into nearby vehicles. The charges allege Covarrubias eventually left the house with two others and went to a second home.

    There, law enforcement observed the movement of three rifles from a truck into the house and took Covarrubias and others into custody.

    The charges allege they had been involved in fraudulently purchasing firearms since Dec. 4, 2019.   

    Covarrubias is a convicted felon, according to the charges. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

    After his arrest, he was permitted release on bond and fled to Mexico where he was ultimately arrested and later returned to United States authorities.

    If convicted, Covarrubias faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Laredo Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Covarrubias. U.S. Marshals Service completed the removal of Covarrubias from Mexico to the Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Indicted After Traffic Stop for Alleged Criminal Possession of a Firearm

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment this week charging a Mexican national with one count of possession of firearm by illegal alien.

    According to court documents, Marcelo Olvera-Moreno was stopped while driving in Hutto, Jan. 24. A Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted the traffic stop after allegedly observing the passenger in Olvera-Moreno’s vehicle fire a handgun from the front passenger window. Olvera-Moreno admitted to law enforcement that he knew that he was illegally and unlawfully in the United States and that he had purchased the pistol at a flea market approximately three months prior.

    Olvera-Moreno made his initial court appearance Jan. 28. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Williamson Country Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel Cohen and Daniel Castillo are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wolcott Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JOSE COLON, 37, of Wolcott, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 13, 2024, Waterbury Police arrested Colon after he discarded a privately made 9mm handgun (“ghost gun”) loaded with six rounds of ammunition during a foot pursuit.

    Colon’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut for assault, weapon, and risk of injury offenses.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for May 13, at which time Colon faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.

    Colon has been detained since his arrest.

    This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Gresham.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ATF Gang Resistance Education and Training Program Provides Philadelphia Students Lasting Life Skills

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    PHILADELPHIA — Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Philadelphia Field Division announced the graduation of 25 Samuel W. Pennypacker School fifth graders from Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) last week.

    “Congratulations! The skills you learned here are life skills for you and your community,” said DeGree. “For more than three decades G.R.E.A.T. provided our students the opportunity to meet and engage with our law enforcement officers in a learning environment and learn skills that can help strengthen our communities for generations.

    The G.R.E.A.T. youth and community outreach program was launched in 1991 to proactively combat violent crime. It uses community-oriented policing tactics and community outreach to change perceptions about law enforcement, one student at a time. In Philadelphia, G.R.E.A.T. program instructors have focused on helping eliminate delinquency, youth violence and gang membership.

    During the graduation ceremony, the students talked about what they learned, including making good decisions and calming yourself down if you get mad. Other students discussed the importance of communication and treating each other with respect.

    ATF Special Agent Michael Baldwin congratulates his class at their Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program graduation.

    G.R.E.A.T. instructor and ATF Special Agent Michael Baldwin told the class, “I’m proud of each and every one of you who participated in the program. Each of you represent the future and will determine and directly impact our community and country as these lessons are not just for now as fifth graders but are life lessons”

    “You guys are sure showing a lot of confidence in getting up and doing the roll playing and the narrating,” said counselor Zita Collins. “I was super proud of you guys – those of you who were cheering each other on – you were all paying attention and taking advantage of the program.”

    Their teacher, Erin Gresko, noted that she saw improvements in reading fluency test scores during the program, adding, “I think part of the reason was your willingness to read out loud and the role playing.”

    The G.R.E.A.T. curriculum includes violence prevention, conflict resolution techniques, decision-making, goal setting and problem-solving. The elementary school curriculum is a six-week interactive session for fourth and fifth graders with an emphasis on family involvement. Students are taught how to set goals, resist peer pressure, respect differences, resolve conflicts and understand how gangs can negatively impact their quality of life. They also learn the importance of becoming responsible members of their communities.

    Information on the G.R.E.A.T. program, its mission and impact on communities is online at http://www.atf.gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-gang-resistance-education-and-training-great-program.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: TWO TALLAHASSEE MEN FOUND GUILTY IN LARGE-SCALE CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE MARIJUANA

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Tyquan M. Watson, 28, and Dezaneil D. Cosby Jr., 27, both of Tallahassee, Florida, were found guilty by a federal jury of conspiring to distribute marijuana as part of a large-scale conspiracy distributing hundreds of pounds of marijuana per week. The guilty verdict, returned at the conclusion of a four-day trial, was announced by Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

    Trial testimony and evidence demonstrated that Watson was purchasing hundred-pound quantities of marijuana per week from farms and brokers in California and reselling the marijuana in Tallahassee and surrounding areas. Evidence demonstrated that Watson had purchased at least 3169 pounds of marijuana between September 24, 2023, and January 10, 2024, with proceeds of at least $2.4 million during that period.

    The long-term investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). On October 13, 2022, FDLE conducted a controlled purchase of 28 pounds of marijuana from a subsequently charged codefendant. During the surveillance, FDLE agents observed the codefendant obtaining the marijuana from Cosby’s residence immediately prior to the controlled purchase. Both the codefendant and Watson’s fingerprints were identified on packaging material associated with the purchased marijuana. On October 28, 2022, DEA executed a federal search warrant at Cosby’s residence and seized 238 pounds of marijuana and a firearm.

    Watson and Cosby were both convicted of distribution of marijuana related to the October 13, 2022, controlled purchase. Cosby was also convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana for the October 28, 2022, search warrant.

    Watson and Cosby were arrested together on federal arrest warrants on March 11, 2024, at another residence in Tallahassee. During that arrest, law enforcement seized another 183 pounds of marijuana and a firearm.

    Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2025, at 11:00am (Watson) and 2:00pm (Cosby) at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.

    This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys James A. McCain and Harley Ferguson prosecuted the case.

    This prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. More information about OCDETF may be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seventeen Defendants Sentenced To Prison In Multi-State Drug Trafficking And Money Laundering Conspiracy

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge John Antoon II has sentenced Dudzinski Poole and sixteen co-conspirators to federal prison terms ranging from six years, up to life, imprisonment in a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. Poole was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was responsible for distributing thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl with sources of supply or distributors in California, multiple other states, and China. The organization also laundered millions of dollars in drug money. Two of Poole’s co-conspirators (Michael Chester and George King, Jr.) were convicted after a ten-day jury trial in July 2024. The rest of the defendants entered guilty pleas. A summary chart of the sentences is below:

    Name (Age, Residence)

    Charges

    Sentence

    Dudzinski Edwinn Poole

    a/k/a “Zink”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

    (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 21 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Melvin Tyrone Patterson, Jr.

    a/k/a “Goon”

    (34, Wildwood, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (two counts)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 18 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Andrew Woodruff, Jr.

    a/k/a “Smurf”

    (40, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 30 years’ imprisonment

    Jose Ivan Carbajal

    a/k/a “Primo”

    (35, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 40 years’ imprisonment

    Antonio Holmes

    a/k/a “Tone”

    (36, Davenport, FL)

    Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    		 15 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Diego Navarro- Martinez

    a/k/a “Shooter”

    (34, California)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 15 years’ imprisonment

    Michael Andre Chester

    a/k/a “Dre”

    (50, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 Life in prison

    Samantha Tiesha King

    a/k/a “Mamp”

    (34, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 17 years, 6 months’ imprisonment

    George Nelvin King, Jr.

    (47, Altamonte Springs, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 14 years, 8 months’ imprisonment

    Felisha Denise Williams

    a/k/a “Lil Momma”

    (35, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 12 years, 7 months’ imprisonment

    Nathaniel Donnell, Jr.

    a/k/a “Bob”

    (60, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 13 years’ imprisonment

    Rodrieka Lashay Manning

    a/k/a “Drieka”

    (27, Apopka, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 11 years, 3 months’ imprisonment

    Mohammed McDowell

    a/k/a “Mo”

    (45, Wildwood, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 10 months’ imprisonment

    Janice Denise Anderson

    a/k/a “Butter”

    (67, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years, 4 months’ imprisonment

    Latonya Sharee Conley

    a/k/a “Hershey”

    (47, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Oveda Denise Miller

    a/k/a “Gangsta Granny”

    (62, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 10 years’ imprisonment

    Roland Richardson

    (65, Mount Dora, FL)

    Drug trafficking conspiracy

    Money laundering conspiracy

    		 6 years’ imprisonment

    According to court records and the evidence presented at trial, between 2017 and 2023, the DTO operated largely out of Lake County, Florida, where Poole received hundreds of shipments of methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources of supply in California, including Jose Carbajal. The drugs were transported or shipped via commercial planes and through the mail. DEA seized more than 250 pounds of drugs (mostly methamphetamine and fentanyl) during the course of the investigation.

    The defendants played various roles in the DTO, such as suppliers, distributors, couriers, and courier coordinators. The couriers would fly to California from Florida with large sums of cash to purchase drugs and transport checked luggage full of drugs back to Florida on commercial flights. The conspirators sometimes purchased tickets and checked the suitcases full of drugs or cash at the airport but did not fly on the plane. The suitcases would travel to the destination where they would be picked up by other conspirators awaiting their arrival. Nearly all the flights were between the Orlando International Airport (MCO) in Florida and the Palm Springs Airport (PSP) or the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California. Flight records during a two-year period show more than 400 flights between California and Orlando among the various conspirators.

    The DTO also used couriers to transport large amounts of methamphetamine from Orlando to Virginia via train. In April 2022, one of these couriers was arrested at a train station in Virginia with approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine inside a suitcase.

    In addition to transporting drugs on commercial flights and trains, Poole and his associates had multiple stash houses and received hundreds of mailed packages of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California and other drugs, including fentanyl, from China. Poole’s source of supply in California (Carbajal) would ship packages that contained an average of five to ten pounds of drugs at a time. Poole would provide Carbajal various addresses to ship the drugs, including co-conspirators’ residences. Investigators identified almost 400 packages that were shipped from California as part of this conspiracy from 2019 to 2023.

    The members of this DTO also conspired with one another to engage in money laundering. Poole developed an entertainment business that he used to promote concerts with famous rap artists, whom he paid with drug proceeds. Poole then commingled the profits from the ticket sales with the drug proceeds in the same business account. Members of the conspiracy also used drug proceeds to pay for various expenses of the DTO (such as flights) or funneled the proceeds through numerous financial accounts into purchases of expensive jewelry, vehicles, residences, and payments to coconspirators.

    “This multi-state drug trafficking organization used a vast network to move methamphetamine and fentanyl to poison our communities,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “I’m proud of the way our agents and numerous law enforcement partners worked together to bring this criminal element to justice.”

    “Greed is the biggest motivation these criminal organizations know,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigation’s Tampa Field Office. “Motivated by money, they will try to place themselves above the law to the detriment of our communities. Fortunately, our agents and staff are extremely skilled at following the money to ensure these perpetrators face justice. We are proud to work alongside our partner agencies to put a stop to these dangerous drug trafficking organizations and ensure they are held accountable.”  

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Secret Service; the Florida Department of Law Enforcement; the Orlando Police Department’s Special Enforcement Division and Crime Center and Forensics Division; the Orange County Sheriff’s Office’s including the Gang Enforcement Unit; the Florida Highway Patrol; the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office; the Casselberry Police Department; the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation; the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office; the Marion County Sheriff’s Office; the Lake County Sheriff’s Office; the Kissimmee Police Department; the St. Cloud Police Department; the Winter Park Police Department; the St. Cloud IRS Financial Crimes Task Force; and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (California). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tyrie K. Boyer and Belkis H. Callaos.

    This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests illegal alien attempting to buy a firearm

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BATON ROUGE, La. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Juan Antonio Reyes, 51, an illegally present Salvadorian national in Baton Rouge Feb. 17 after being alerted that he tried to purchase a firearm.

    Reyes illegally entered the United States at an unknown place and time. An immigration judge granted him a voluntary departure Nov. 22, 1993, but he failed to depart the United States.

    Reyes was arrested by immigration officers in Baton Rouge on April 21, 1997, and was removed from the U.S. on April 24, 1997. He was arrested by West Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputies for filing a false public record and forgery May 16, 2000. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested Reyes at the West Baton Rouge Detention Center and served a warrant of removal and notice to reinstate prior order Aug. 4, 2000. He was removed from the U.S. Sept. 5, 2000.

    ICE received an alert Jan. 23, 2024, after Reyes’ firearm purchase attempt was denied by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE New Orleans’ mission to increase public safety on X at @ERONewOrleans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orange Park Man Sentenced To Two Years’ Imprisonment For Firearms Violation

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced D’eante Corker (25, Orange Park) to two years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Corker was found guilty on November 26, 2024, following a bench trial.  

    According to court documents, on March 27, 2024, a deputy from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Corker. During the stop, a canine officer arrived at the scene and his canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, which led to a search of Corker’s vehicle. During the search, a loaded Smith & Wesson pistol was found under the hood of the vehicle. Corker admitted to knowing about the firearm under the hood and that he was unable to lawfully possess firearms as a convicted felon.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clay County Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro. 

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lake City Man Sentenced To Over 10 Years For Selling Methamphetamine

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Jeremy Leonardo Roldan (52, Lake City) to 10 years and 4 months in federal prison for selling 50 grams or more of a substance or mixture containing methamphetamine. Roldan pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024. 

    According to court documents, on December 11, 2023, Roldan sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. Roldan previously sold methamphetamine to the undercover officer at least two prior times. Roldan was responsible for selling 59 grams of pure methamphetamine. While selling narcotics, Roldan was on supervised release for the same offense.

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake City Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Cornyn, Colleagues Urge ATF to Rescind Unconstitutional Biden Rules, Align with Trump 2A Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), and 28 Republican colleagues today sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson urging him to align the agency with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities as laid out in his recent Executive Order and calling on him to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.
     “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment,” wrote the senators.
    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies,” continued the senators.
    Cassidy and Cornyn were joined by U.S. Senators John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Justice (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Todd Young (R-IN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) in sending the letter.
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Deputy Director Richardson:
    Thank you for your service in leading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the presidential transition. On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.
    Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies. In particular, we call your attention to the following anti-Second Amendment regulations and policies, which must be immediately rescinded:

    The engaged in the business rule, which is an unconstitutional attempt to move ATF to do all it can to impose universal background checks on law-abiding Americans. ATF has been enjoined, at least temporarily, from enforcing the rule because it violated the text of the Gun Control Act. 
    The pistol brace rule, which improperly reclassifies pistols equipped with stabilizing braces as “short-barreled rifles” (SBRs), thereby subjecting them to stringent regulations and serious criminal penalties under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act. We are troubled by the fact that ATF promulgated this rule after it previously determined that attaching a stabilizing brace to a pistol did not render the pistol an SBR.  This rule threatens to put stabilizing braces out of reach of millions of gun owners, including disabled combat veterans who rely on them to be able to shoot heavy pistols. Furthermore, the rule made law-abiding Americans felons overnight for having lawfully purchased stabilizing brace equipped pistols. Multiple courts have already found the rule to be arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, and it was ordered vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  We appreciate the Government’s recent motions to hold ATF’s 5th and 11th Circuit appeals defending the rule in abeyance and to postpone oral argument, and ATF should work quickly to accede to the vacatur given the ongoing litigation. 
    The so-called “ghost gun” rule,  which cracks down on law-abiding hobbyists who are exercising their Second Amendment rights to privately build firearms—a longstanding tradition that traces back to the Colonial Era.  The regulations are currently before the Supreme Court, but ATF should act immediately to rescind this rule.
    The “zero tolerance” policy, under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.  This policy violates a decades-long precedent of ATF working with FFLs to address these minor, unintentional violations and revoking FFL licenses only in cases of major, willful violations that threaten public safety. ATF should develop a program to restore the federal firearms licenses of those FFLs whose licenses were unfairly revoked—or surrendered under duress—where they did not engage in willful conduct (as understood prior to June 23, 2021, when the policy was announced) and do not represent at threat to public safety.

    In addition to promptly rescinding these rules and policies, we urge you to immediately destroy the hundreds of millions of ATF Form 4473 firearm transaction records and other licensee records that are over 20 years old. These records have no particular law enforcement value but do contain the sensitive information of millions of law-abiding gun owners.  ATF should likewise return to the policy of allowing FFLs to destroy Form 4473 in their possession that are over 20 years old, which the Biden Administration initiated in violation of the federal prohibition on gun registration.  Ending the policy of retaining these very old records will save money for the American taxpayer and counteract ATF’s unconstitutional rule change.  
    Furthermore, we urge you to “continue collaboration to improve the process for” National Firearms Act applications. Congress recently instructed ATF to make these improvements.  While NFA wait times have improved significantly, ATF must continue to “address ongoing delays in application processing times” until the archaic process is at least as efficient as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. There is no reason that the right to purchase a firearm should be so greatly delayed; a right delayed is a right denied.
    The foregoing should not be considered a full accounting of every action or policy for which ATF may be held responsible under President Trump’s Executive Order but represent obvious and high priority places for ATF to initiate compliance.
    We look forward to working with you through the transition as you implement President Trump’s agenda and reorient ATF toward protecting Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston, law enforcement partners arrest illegal Brazilian gang member convicted of assault, battery in Massachusetts

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BELLINGHAM, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and law enforcement partners from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives apprehended an illegally present Brazilian national and validated gang member convicted of assault and battery against a Massachusetts resident with the arrest of Caio Vitor Guimaraes-Silva, 21, during an immigration enforcement operation in Bellingham, Feb. 3.

    “Caio Vitor Guimaraes-Silva has not only shown a blatant disregard for U.S. immigration laws, but he also presented a significant danger to the residents of Massachusetts,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “As a documented member of a violent street gang and an alien convicted of a violent crime, we could no longer abide Mr. Guimaraes’ presence in our community. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England neighborhoods.”

    Guimaraes lawfully entered the United States September 3, 2017, and later violated the terms of his lawful admission.

    ICE lodged an immigration detainer against Guimaraes with the Middlesex County House of Corrections Feb. 16, 2024, following his arrest by local authorities.

    The Milford District Court found Guimaraes guilty of two counts of assault and battery against a Massachusetts resident Sept. 9, 2024. The court sentenced Guimaraes to one year in prison but suspended all but 90 days of time served. The court then released Guimaraes from state custody, ignoring the ICE immigration detainer.

    Guimaraes is in ICE custody following his arrest.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X: @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Capturing paradise: Karston Tannis re-creates island vibes with iPhone 16 Pro Max

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Capturing paradise: Karston Tannis re-creates island vibes with iPhone 16 Pro Max

    February 21, 2025

    UPDATE

    Capturing paradise: Karston Tannis re‑creates island vibes with iPhone 16 Pro Max

    As far back as he can remember, Karston Tannis has always had a camera in his hand. From shooting home videos with a camcorder as a kid, to capturing candids of his BMX community around New York City using disposable cameras in his teens, to jetsetting around the world with iPhone 16 Pro Max, the portrait photographer has always felt compelled by the idea of documenting people in their own environments.

    “I love telling stories of people in places,” says Tannis, who specializes in lifestyle, fashion, and travel. “I really live for the adventure, so I love a tool that allows me to seamlessly integrate that into a multitude of environments, whether that be the runways at Fashion Week, hanging off the edge of a helicopter, or even documenting the everyday moments of life.”

    For a recent shoot spotlighting fashion designers and their bespoke creations, Tannis showcased the vibrancy of the African diaspora, capturing portraits on iPhone 16 Pro Max with a Caribbean-inspired backdrop.

    In the images below, explore how Tannis brought the African diaspora to life — from a custom-built boat on the makeshift shores of Saint Lucia, to a fruit stand inspired by the fishing villages and markets of the Caribbean and Ghana, and the rich-hued fashion designs of Tannis’s subjects — through his lens with iPhone 16 Pro Max.

    “Shooting natively with iPhone 16 Pro Max allowed me to get the highest quality and retain the most detail. I wanted to create something that had very controlled lighting. The Caribbean is full of such vibrant colors and textures. I really wanted to transform the space and bring the viewer into this new world. I used a big light source reflected into a silver umbrella to mimic midday sun. This provided a dynamic lighting scenario where there was a lot of contrast with specular highlights, but also a big enough source to avoid harsh shadows. The 16 Pro Max is capable of capturing all of those details quickly.”

    “iPhone 16 Pro Max was fully capable of capturing and depicting the rich colors and textures of the set while giving flexibility in post to tweak as desired. This gave me infinite possibilities to dial in a signature look in real time.”

    “We started losing a lot of the natural light that was coming in through the window. Because we were shifting different colors and there were a lot of warm elements in the space, some of the images tended to read a little bit cooler. I was experimenting with the Dramatic Photographic Style and adjusting color on the fly. It gave this depth in how some of the tones looked toward the shadow side — I love a little bit of that warm flare it gave.”

    “I wanted to push the boundaries of what the phone was capable of straight out of the box. It’s not shot in RAW, I didn’t have too many settings applied to it. I just did very basic editing, adjusting the saturation, contrast, and clarity. I really wanted to allow the phone to capture images as it would, because I want people to see that they’re able to utilize this device in such a beautiful way. The quality of the camera system on iPhone continues to level the playing field for creators in various ways.”

    Press Contacts

    Renee Felton

    Apple

    rfelton@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy champions bill to expand law enforcement concealed-carry rights, help protect more Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reintroduced the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA) Reform Act to expand the concealed-carry rights of qualified law enforcement officers.
    “Day in and day out, our brave law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep Americans safe—even when they’re retired or off-duty. The LEOSA Reform Act would help empower cops to keep our communities safe by expanding their rights to carry concealed firearms in public places,” said Kennedy. 
    The LEOSA Reform Act amends the original LEOSA of 2004, which gives qualified officers—whether they are active-duty, retired or no longer working in law enforcement—the right to carry concealed firearms in any U.S. state or territory, regardless of state or local laws. The original legislation, however, contains numerous exceptions that prevent qualified law enforcement officers from adequately protecting themselves and the public, including bans on concealed-carry rights on certain state, local and federal government property.
    Kennedy’s LEOSA Reform Act would expand the original bill by allowing qualified officers to carry their concealed firearms in the following locations:
    state, local and private property otherwise open to the public;
    national parks; 
    certain federal public access facilities; and
    school zones.
    Sens. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) co-sponsored the LEOSA Reform Act.
    The LEOSA Reform Act is supported by the National Association of Police Organizations, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), National Fraternal Order of Police, National District Attorneys Association, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, New York Police Department (NYPD) Sergeants Benevolent Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Major County Sheriffs of America and the National Sheriffs’ Association.
    “On behalf of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, I want to extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Kennedy for reintroducing the LEOSA Reform Act. This legislation is a critical step in ensuring that law enforcement officers who have served their country honorably are able to protect themselves and their families after they retire. The LEOSA Reform Act will correct long-standing barriers, ensuring retired officers can carry concealed weapons across state lines without unnecessary restrictions. This law is not just about enhancing officer safety; it’s about honoring those who have dedicated their careers to safeguarding our communities. We urge Congress to pass this important legislation and stand with those who have stood for justice,” said Mathew Silverman, National President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
    “While the purpose of LEOSA has always been clear, several actions at the federal, state, and local level have prevented its proper implementation and altered or watered-down key provisions of the Act. The SBA is grateful for Sen. Kennedy’s continued leadership on the ‘LEOSA Reform Act’ to effectuate Congress’ original intent in passing LEOSA in 2004,” said Vincent Vallelong, President of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association. 
    “With the rise in targeted violence against law enforcement officers and violent crimes in our communities, allowing all qualified officers and retirees, who have sworn to serve and protect our communities, to be armed in accordance with LEOSA would allow them to respond more efficiently and effectively in emergencies for the safety of themselves and those around them. The LEOSA Reform Act will go a long way to ensuring all qualified off-duty and retired officers across the country can legally carry their firearm under the law. NAPO thanks Senator Kennedy for his leadership and stands with him in support of this important legislation,” said Bill Johnson, Executive Director of the National Association of Police Organizations.
    “This legislation prioritizes safety in our communities by empowering active and retired law enforcement officers to continue to protect citizens in areas where criminals are known to victimize innocent lives who are otherwise left defenseless. The LEOSA Reform Act enables those individuals we already trust with our safety to be able to continue to provide that service without being encumbered by well-intentioned, but misguided laws. Criminals, by definition, have no respect for the law. This commonsense legislation removes barriers for those who enforce the law. Handcuffs belong on criminals, not law enforcement who are working to protect their communities. NSSF is grateful to Senator John Kennedy for his leadership to improve safety in our communities,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel.
    “The Major County Sheriffs of America (MCSA) applauds Senator Kennedy for his leadership on the LEOSA Reform Act. This vital legislation allows qualified retired and active law enforcement officers to carry firearms across state lines and in public spaces such as national parks, school zones, and other public properties. For law enforcement officers, the ability to carry a firearm across state lines and in public spaces ensures their continued ability to protect and respond effectively, enhancing safety for both officers and our communities,” said Megan Noland, Executive Director of the MCSA.
    The full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester man pleads guilty to arson

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Acting U.S. Attorney Joel L. Violanti announced today that Jermaine Fields, 38, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to arson, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles E. Moynihan, who is handling the case, stated that on April 17, 2024, the Rochester Fire Department received an alarm call from the Abundance Co-Op Market on South Avenue in Rochester, for a fire in the men’s bathroom. When firefighters arrived, they entered the bathroom and smelled an odor of burning rubber, but there were no flames visible.  Firefighters did observe burned debris with burn patterns on the floor and on the wall behind the toilet.  Law enforcement reviewed security camera footage from the store, which depicted a person later identified as Fields, walking throughout the store and entering the men’s bathroom and then exiting. The store fire alarm activated seconds later. Fields was arrested several days later and charged with arson. Fields has also admitted to starting papers on fire in one of the stairwells at the Hall of Justice on Exchange Boulevard in Rochester on April 5, 2024. 

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Stefano Napolitano, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.

    Sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oakland Resident Convicted Of Dealing Firearms Without A License And Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – Robert Davis was convicted of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and firearms possession by a federal jury, announced Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Cicolani.

    The jury found Davis, 31 of Oakland, California, guilty of selling for profit firearms that he purchased illegally in Texas.  The jury also found that on a separate occasion Davis illegally possessed a firearm and ammunition as a felon.  The jury acquitted Davis of an additional charge that Davis had possessed and shipped firearms. The verdicts followed a week-long jury trial before the Honorable Araceli Martínez-Olguín, U.S. District Judge.

    Evidence at trial showed that Davis travelled back and forth between California and Texas, where he illegally bought firearms at gun shows. After purchasing the firearms, the defendant shipped the firearms back to the Bay Area where he advertised and sold them for profit, principally using Instagram.  The evidence further showed that on December 22, 2021, law enforcement searched the defendant’s residence and found a loaded 5.7mm firearm in his home. Law enforcement also found more than 100 rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment as well as in Davis’s vehicle. Because Davis previously had been convicted of a felony, he was ineligible to possess the firearm and the ammunition.

    Davis is currently in custody pending sentencing which has not yet been scheduled.

    The maximum statutory penalty for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A) is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000, and the maximum statutory penalty violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is ten years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Mateer and Jonah Ross are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello, Mark DiCenzo, and Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, and Fort Worth (TX) Police Department.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Cornyn, and GOP Colleagues Urge ATF to Rescind Biden’s Unconstitutional 2A Rules and Align with Trump Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and 28 of their Senate GOP colleagues today sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson, urging him to align the agency with President Donald Trump’s Second Amendment priorities laid out in his recent Executive Order. 
    They also called on Deputy Director Richardson to identify and rescind former President Joe Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which the ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.
    The Senators wrote: “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align the ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.”
    “Under former President Joe Biden, the ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”
    Joining Senator Marshall, Senator Cornyn, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) are Senators Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Ted Budd (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Jim Banks (R-Indiana), and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, GOP Colleagues Urge ATF to Rescind Unconstitutional Biden Rules, Align with Trump 2A Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and 29 of his Senate GOP colleagues today sent a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson urging him to align the agency with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities as laid out in his recent Executive Order and calling on him to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, so-called “ghost gun” rule, and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations:

    They wrote: “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.”

    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”

    Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Justice (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Lankford (R-OK), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Todd Young (R-IN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) joined the letter.

    The full text of the letter is available here and below.

    February 20, 2025

    Marvin G. Richardson

    Deputy Director

    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

    99 New York Avenue, NE

    Washington, DC 20226

    Dear Deputy Director Richardson:

    Thank you for your service in leading the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) during the presidential transition. On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights.  We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.

    Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations. We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies. In particular, we call your attention to the following anti-Second Amendment regulations and policies, which must be immediately rescinded:

    • The engaged in the business rule, which is an unconstitutional attempt to move ATF to do all it can to impose universal background checks on law-abiding Americans. ATF has been enjoined, at least temporarily, from enforcing the rule because it violated the text of the Gun Control Act. 
    • The pistol brace rule, which improperly reclassifies pistols equipped with stabilizing braces as “short-barreled rifles” (SBRs), thereby subjecting them to stringent regulations and serious criminal penalties under the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act. We are troubled by the fact that ATF promulgated this rule after it previously determined that attaching a stabilizing brace to a pistol did not render the pistol an SBR.  This rule threatens to put stabilizing braces out of reach of millions of gun owners, including disabled combat veterans who rely on them to be able to shoot heavy pistols. Furthermore, the rule made law-abiding Americans felons overnight for having lawfully purchased stabilizing brace equipped pistols. Multiple courts have already found the rule to be arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, and it was ordered vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.  We appreciate the Government’s recent motions to hold ATF’s 5th and 11th Circuit appeals defending the rule in abeyance and to postpone oral argument, and ATF should work quickly to accede to the vacatur given the ongoing litigation. 
    • The so-called “ghost gun” rule,  which cracks down on law-abiding hobbyists who are exercising their Second Amendment rights to privately build firearms—a longstanding tradition that traces back to the Colonial Era.  The regulations are currently before the Supreme Court, but ATF should act immediately to rescind this rule.
    • The “zero tolerance” policy, under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.  This policy violates a decades-long precedent of ATF working with FFLs to address these minor, unintentional violations and revoking FFL licenses only in cases of major, willful violations that threaten public safety. ATF should develop a program to restore the federal firearms licenses of those FFLs whose licenses were unfairly revoked—or surrendered under duress—where they did not engage in willful conduct (as understood prior to June 23, 2021, when the policy was announced) and do not represent at threat to public safety.

    In addition to promptly rescinding these rules and policies, we urge you to immediately destroy the hundreds of millions of ATF Form 4473 firearm transaction records and other licensee records that are over 20 years old. These records have no particular law enforcement value but do contain the sensitive information of millions of law-abiding gun owners.  ATF should likewise return to the policy of allowing FFLs to destroy Form 4473 in their possession that are over 20 years old, which the Biden Administration initiated in violation of the federal prohibition on gun registration.  Ending the policy of retaining these very old records will save money for the American taxpayer and counteract ATF’s unconstitutional rule change.  

    Furthermore, we urge you to “continue collaboration to improve the process for” National Firearms Act applications. Congress recently instructed ATF to make these improvements.  While NFA wait times have improved significantly, ATF must continue to “address ongoing delays in application processing times” until the archaic process is at least as efficient as the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. There is no reason that the right to purchase a firearm should be so greatly delayed; a right delayed is a right denied.

    The foregoing should not be considered a full accounting of every action or policy for which ATF may be held responsible under President Trump’s Executive Order but represent obvious and high priority places for ATF to initiate compliance.

    We look forward to working with you through the transition as you implement President Trump’s agenda and reorient ATF toward protecting Americans’ Second Amendment rights.

    Sincerely,

    /s/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $29 million set aside for Queensland roads and rail crossings

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    Roads and rail crossings across Queensland will receive important safety upgrades thanks to almost $29 million in new Albanese Government funding. 

    $14.6 million will go towards 50 high-priority improvements to railway level crossings across the state’s regional road network. Projects will increase safety at these critical junctures, with potential works including upgrades to boom gates, flashing lights, signage, sealing and more. 

    The Albanese Government recognises that local governments are crucial to maintaining and upgrading transport infrastructure.

    A further $14.17 million will help fund the following four new projects under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program (SLRIP):

    • Almost $4.5 million to the Mareeba Shire Council for widening Leadingham Creek Road and upgrading the culvert at Sandy Creek in Dimbulah. 
    • $5 million to theQueensland Department of Transport and Main Roads for a new heavy vehicle rest area on the Kennedy Highway (Cairns–Mareeba) at Koah.
    • Almost $3 million to the Moreton Bay Regional Council for the Caboolture River Road Safety Upgrades in Upper Caboolture & $1.7 million for the O’Mara Road Upgrade at Narangba. 

    The SLRIP is part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to support the delivery of safer roads across Australia. 

    Investment for the level crossings falls under the Government’s Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund (RLCUF), which aims to improve railway crossing safety in regional areas and reduce serious and fatal accidents that have a devastating impact on communities.

    Further information on the information on the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program is available here, and Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund here.

    Quotes attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister, Catherine King:

    “The Albanese Government recognises that local governments are crucial to maintaining and upgrading transport infrastructure.

    “We have increased funding under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program to make sure we continue to invest in better, safer local roads across Queensland and Australia. 

    “We are committed to delivering the funding local councils need to improve road safety and in a way that reduces the burden on them, allowing more money to be spent on projects and less on administration.”

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Senator for Queensland, Anthony Chisholm:

    “Councils know their local road networks inside out, that’s why we’re backing four much needed roads projects thanks to the additional $14.17 million.

    “But it’s not just roads, our state’s growing dependence on rail transport for freight is why we’re working with the State Government on improving rail crossing safety across Queensland.

    “The $14.6 million worth of funding will support the delivery of low-cost treatments such as boom gates, signage, flashing lights and rumble strips, which aim to better alert motorists and pedestrians approaching regional rail crossings.”

     

    Funded projects – Regional Level Crossing Upgrade Fund:

    Project / Railway crossing

    Project location 

    Jambin Dakenba Road (ID6025)

    Earlsfield

    105 Callemondah Drive (ID6090)

    Callemondah

    105 Callemondah Drive (ID708)

    Callemondah

    Saville Road level crossing improvement works

    Allenview

    Booroondarra Road

    Middlemount

    Bulliwallah Rd Level Crossing Upgrade Project

    Belyando

    Tolmies Road

    Blackwater

    Tryphinia Road

    Locality – Wallaroo

    Stratford Rd Level Crossing Upgrade Project

    Mt Cooloon

    Mourindilla Road

    Dingo

    Robino Road Crossing Light Installation

    Braemeadows

    Camp Creek Road level crossing upgrade to active controls

    Running Creek

    Sarina upgrade

    Sarina

    Jambin Dakenba Road (ID6554)

    Earlsfield

    BSL Greatheads

    Woongarra

    Alma Street Crossing Light Installation

    Halifax

    BSL Managers House

    Qunaba

    BSL Ashfield

    Ashfield

    BSL Klotzs

    Windermere

    BSL Golcherts

    Woongarra

    BSL Bargara School

    Qunaba

    Yarrawonga Road

    Blackwater

    Innisfree Road

    Emerald

    533 Marian – Eton Road Ch 0.344km

    Marion

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 5

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 6

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    Wilson St and Kennedy Development Rd intersection

    Winton

    88A Bowen Developmental Road (Bowen-Collinsville) Ch32.6km

    Bowen

    10G Bruce Highway (St Lawrence – Mackay) Ch142.28km

    Mackay

    10G Bruce Highway (St Lawrence – Mackay) Ch 144.307km

    Mackay

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 1

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 2

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 3

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 4

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 5

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 6

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 7

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    614 OLC Upgrade project – Site 8

    Ingham / Trebonne / Abergowrie

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 1

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 2

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 3

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 4

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 7

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 8

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 9

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    824 OLC Upgrade project site 10

    Ingham / Halifax / Bemerside

    Whitsunday Coast Airport access road (Lascelles Avenue)

    Gunyarra

    Alice Street Mitchell

    Mitchell

    Cunningham Street Dalby

    Dalby

    Nicolson Street Dalby

    Dalby

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.

    Malcolm Desir, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting; four counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm; one count of firearms trafficking; and one count of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. Desir was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with co-conspirator Cordell Miller and Alan Robinson.

    Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. Over a three-month investigation beginning in August 2023, Miller sold several firearms to a cooperating witness during controlled purchases and offered to sell distribution weight cocaine. The drug deals were handled by Desir, who distributed the powder cocaine in a number of controlled purchases. During one controlled purchase, Desir also sold a firearm he had purchased from Miller two years prior. More than a kilo and half of powdered and crack cocaine, unknown prescription pills, indicia of distribution and two illegal firearms were recovered during a search at Desir’s residence.

    In January 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2025. Miller pleaded guilty in February 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2025.

    The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of a minimum of five years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang Member Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Narcotics Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A member of the East Side Money Gang with multiple prior convictions was sentenced today for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Gang operated in Chelsea, Mass. and surrounding communities.

    Henry Del Rio, a/k/a “Junior,” 28, of Chelsea, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2024, Del Rio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Del Rio was arrested and charged in January 2023 along with co-defendant Jose Perez.

    In December 2022, police officers attempted to stop a vehicle speeding through Lexington, Mass. that Perez was driving. Perez accelerated and engaged in a high-speed escape attempt, traveling more than 85 miles per hour on residential streets, crashing head-first into another vehicle, and ultimately losing control and colliding into a post. As Perez exited the vehicle, a loaded Glock 34X 9mm semi-automatic handgun dropped to the ground. Perez and Del Rio, the sole passenger, fled and led officers on a foot chase through a parking lot. Once the two men were apprehended, approximately 63 grams of cocaine and a bag containing 44 smaller, individually wrapped bags of fentanyl, totaling approximately 53 grams, were found where Del Rio had fled. A third bag containing approximately 49 grams of cocaine was recovered in the vehicle.

    At the time of the offense, Del Rio was on federal supervised release after serving a five-year prison sentence for multiple felony convictions, including drug and firearms offenses, arising from a prior East Side Money Gang-related case.

    In December 2024, Perez was sentenced to 142 months in prison after being convicted by a federal jury in August 2024.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Chelsea and MBTA Police Departments and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Jury Indicts Convicted Felon For Firearms Offense

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal bill of indictment charging Anil Dabydeen, 39, of Charlotte, with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for allegedly shooting at vehicles on I-485, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to the indictment and a filed criminal complaint, on January 8, 2025, at 3:49 p.m., CMPD officers were dispatched to I-485 at the South Tryon Street exit for a reported shooting. Court documents allege that CMPD received several 911 calls describing a male operating a white Honda sedan on the highway who was shooting at passing vehicles. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and located two victims who had been struck by gunfire. The victims told the officers that they were traveling south on I-485 when their vehicle was struck by gunfire. While on the scene, the officers reviewed a video shot by a witness. It is alleged that the video showed a white sedan stopped on the side of the highway, and an individual, later identified as Dabydeen, walking around the vehicle brandishing a firearm and pointing it at passing vehicles.

    According to allegations in court documents, while the officers were investigating the incident, they observed a white Honda sedan traveling south at a high rate of speed. The officers recognized the vehicle as the one observed during the shooting and began to pursue the vehicle. After a brief pursuit, Dabydeen stopped the vehicle, and he was taken into custody. It is alleged that, over the course of the arrest, officers recovered from Dabydeen a live round of 9mm ammunition, and a Taurus, Model G3c, 9mm pistol that had been reported stolen. It is further alleged that Dabydeen has a prior felony conviction for 1st Degree Manslaughter in New York, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

    Dabydeen is currently in custody. The charge of possession of a firearm by a felon carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

    The charges against Dabydeen are allegations, and the defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron thanked the ATF and CMPD for leading the investigation.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pelahatchie Man Sentenced to nearly Five Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Jackson, Miss. – A Pelahatchie man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to court documents, Brad O’Neal Lee, 41, sold firearms to a pawn shop in Jackson, Mississippi. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was alerted to the sale. Lee is a convicted felon, and therefore is prohibited by federal law from possessing any firearms or ammunition. Lee’s previous felony convictions on the date of the illegal possession were for residential burglary, false pretense, and uttering a forgery, for which he served several years in state prison.

    Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2023. He pled guilty on October 3, 2024.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The ATF investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Sentenced for Roles in Penobscot and Aroostook County Drug Trafficking Ring

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BANGOR, Maine: Four individuals from Maine were sentenced today in separate hearings at the U.S. District Court in Bangor for their roles in a northern Maine drug trafficking ring. U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced the four defendants:

    • John Miller, 24, was sentenced to 54 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On April 19, 2023, Miller pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
    • Jason Cunrod, 42, was sentenced to 48 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On August 29, 2023, Cunrod pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
    • Joshua Young, 48, was sentenced to time served (approximately 62 days), followed by three years of supervised release to include 24 months of home detention. On April 26, 2023, Young pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
    • Carol Gordon, 53, was sentenced to time served (approximately 30 months and 25 days), followed by three years of supervised release to include six months of community confinement. On March 14, 2023, Gordon pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    According to court records, between January 2018 and December 2021, Cunrod, Miller, Gordon, Young and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Penobscot and Aroostook counties and elsewhere. Miller, Cunrod,and Young each regularly arranged to obtain quantities from a coconspirator through phone calls, texts and social media using coded language and then distribute those drugs to customers in Aroostook County, using the proceeds to purchase more drugs from the source. In addition, during the conspiracy, Miller provided his source with dozens of firearms that he acquired from various individuals in Aroostook County. Gordon allowed others to sell drugs from her Bangor home and facilitated distribution events by serving as an intermediate between the seller and customer in exchange for narcotics for her personal use.

    Twenty-one defendants have been charged in this and related cases for their part in a widespread northern Maine drug trafficking conspiracy. To date, 17 of the defendants have been sentenced while four await sentencing:

    Sentenced:

    • Andrew Adams (32, Aroostook County) – 10 years
    • Matthew Catalano (38, Penobscot County) – 165 months
    • Christopher Coty (44, Bangor) – 4 years
    • Jason Cunrod (42, Caribou) – 48 months
    • Blaine Footman (38, Bangor) – 5 years
    • Nicole Footman (41, Holden) – 3 years
    • Dwight Gary, Jr. (54, Medway) – Time served (approx. 5 months)
    • Carol Gordon (53, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 31 months) plus 6 months of community confinement
    • Thomas Hammond (26, Charleston) – 84 months
    • Joshua Jerrell (30, Orrington) – Time served (approx. 36 months)
    • James King (55, Caribou) – 165 months
    • Shelby Loring (29, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 32 months)
    • Danielle McBreairty (34, Glenburn) – 20 years
    • John Miller (24, Caribou) – 54 months
    • Aaron Rodgers (43, Bangor) – Time served (approx. 33 months)
    • Wayne Smith (33, Bangor) – 85 months
    • Joshua Young (48, Presque Isle) – Time served (approx. 2 months) plus 24 months home detention

    Awaiting sentencing:

    • Daquan Corbett (30, Brockton, Mass.)
    • Daviston Jackson (28, Boston, Mass.)
    • Sarah McBreairty (36, Dixmont) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25
    • James Valiante (42, Linneus) – sentencing scheduled 05/05/25

    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistance was provided by the police departments in Orono, Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Presque Isle and Houlton. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also recognized the cooperation and coordination provided by the Maine State Attorney General’s Office and the Aroostook County District Attorney’s Office.

    Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces: This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Halloween getaway driver convicted

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    VICTORIA, Texas – A federal jury sitting in Victoria has returned a guilty verdict against a 27-year-old Houston man for armed robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Jordan Javon Ashton following a three-day trial.

    The robbery took place at the Morelos Supermercardos in Victoria Oct. 31, 2023, and involved a stolen vehicle with stolen plates and a stolen gun.

    On that Halloween evening, Latrayveon McNeal and Jerrell Potts – wearing masks and brandishing firearms – entered the supermarket and approached the Barri money services counter. They pointed weapons and yelled at the cashier, store employees and customers. Fearing for their lives, the employees complied with demands and provided U.S. currency and a large amount of cashed checks.   

    McNeal and Potts fled in a stolen white truck and met up with Ashton who was armed and waiting for them a few blocks away from the store. Ashton then drove the robbers from the scene leaving the white truck in the middle of the road with the motor still running.

    The jury saw numerous exhibits to include several photographs and surveillance video from the supermarket, the weapons used in the crime and heard excerpts of 911 calls made on that day.

    They also heard that Ashton had previously been convicted of a felony and was on parole during the commission of this crime.

    The defense attempted to convince the jury that he withdrew from the conspiracy. They did not believe those claims and found Ashton guilty as charged.

    McNeal, 26, and Potts, 25, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the crime. Potts received 87 months in federal prison, while McNeal is pending sentencing.

    U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over trial and set sentencing for May 29. At that time, Ashton faces up to 20 and 15 years for the robbery and the firearms charges, respectively, as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Victoria County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Cornyn, Colleagues Call on ATF to Overturn Unconstitutional Biden Rules & Support Trump 2A Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    02.20.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and 28 of their Senate GOP colleagues in sending a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Deputy Director Marvin Richardson urging him to align the agency with President Trump’s Second Amendment priorities as laid out in his recent Executive Order. The senators called on Richardson to identify and rescind former President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations, including the “Engaged in the Business” rule, pistol brace rule, “ghost gun” rule and “zero tolerance” policy under which ATF has revoked the licenses of federal firearm licensees (FFLs) over minor bookkeeping violations.

               “On Friday, February 7, 2025, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to reaffirm law-abiding Americans’ Second Amendment rights in issuing his Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights,” the senators wrote. “We urge you to immediately align ATF’s rules and policies with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment.”

    “Under former President Joe Biden, ATF adopted numerous policies and rules that infringed upon Americans’ Second Amendment protections. President Trump’s Executive Order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to review and develop a plan of action regarding President Biden’s unlawful firearms regulations,” the senators continued. “We ask that you work with the Attorney General to quickly identify and rescind these policies.”

    Joining Senators Hoeven and Cornyn in sending the letter are Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jim Justice (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), James Lankford (R-OK), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Rick Scott (R-FL), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ted Budd (R-NC), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Todd Young (R-IN), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Jim Banks (R-IN), and Jerry Moran (R-KS).

    Full text of the letter can be found here

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Owner of Unlicensed D.C. Row House Found Guilty in the Deaths of Two People in Fatal Kennedy Street Fire

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – James G. Walker, 67, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today in Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of second-degree murder, and 27 criminal building code violations, for the deaths of Fitsum Kebede and Yafet Solomen, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Attorney General for the District of Columbia, Brian L. Schwalb, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division Anthony Spotswood, Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr.

                Walker was indicted and arraigned on January 16, 2020, on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of the lesser included charges of involuntary manslaughter and numerous criminal building code violations by Superior Court Judge Ronna L. Beck.

                According to the government’s evidence, the defendant, James Walker, owned commercial property located at 708 Kennedy Street, N.W.  Walker did not have a certificate of occupancy for the building and the structure was in violation of several fire safety codes. Walker operated the building as an illegal “rooming house.” Some of the building’s rooms were too small to be considered habitable space; some had no windows, and the defendant failed to install or maintain functional smoke alarms throughout the building, including the basement. The most egregious violation, however, was the failure to provide an unobstructed means to escape the property, which included erecting multiple security gates that required keys from both sides, the worst offense being a double-keyed security gate installed within the property that blocked access from the kitchen to the front door. Importantly, the defendant had received specific warnings on March 21, 2019, from the Metropolitan Police Department that the building was in violation of several building codes specifically related to fire safety and hazardous conditions. He was instructed to correct the conditions and have the building inspected for residential use. He did not.

                On the morning of August 18, 2019, a fire erupted in the basement of 708 Kennedy Street. Three tenants were present at the time of the fire. 40-year-old Fitsum Kebede and 10-year-old Yafet Solomen were in the basement and were unable to exit the premises. They subsequently died from thermal burns and smoke inhalation. The government’s evidence was that the defendant’s knowledge of the danger posed by the conditions of the property and his conscious disregard of the extreme risk that death or serious bodily injury could occur were the but-for cause of the deaths of the decedents.   

                This case was jointly tried by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the District of Columbus Office of the Attorney General.

                In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, ATF Special Agent in Charge Spotswood, MPD Chief Smith, and Fire and EMS Chief Donnelly, commended the work of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force that investigated the case, including MPD, ATF, and Fire and EMS.  Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Vinet Bryant, Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Cargill and Assistant Attorney General Keith Ingram who prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury convicted a San Antonio man Wednesday for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dante Delray Vecera, 33, was found unresponsive in a locked and running vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic on the 410 frontage road. Police officers observed a bag containing white powder, a marijuana cigarette, and a bag of what appeared to be black tar heroin inside the vehicle. The officers provided Vecera with Narcan, fearing an overdose. While waiting for EMS to arrive on scene, officers looked for Vecera’s driver’s license in an attempt to identify him and located an unholstered pistol in the pocket of his pants. While removing the weapon, Vecera regained consciousness. He refused all field sobriety tests and was taken into custody after being medically cleared.

    Prior to this arrest Vecera had been convicted of several violent felonies, including two prior Nevada convictions for burglary and coercion (sexually motivated), and a Texas conviction for violation of a protective order and assault. Vecera faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, San Antonio Police Department and the Castle Hills Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karina O’Daniel and Amy Hail are prosecuting the case.

    This is a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Initiative case. VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. The Office on Violence Against Women has issued more than $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA in its lifetime.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Indictments Charge Five Individuals With Unlawful Gun Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five individuals have been charged in separate federal indictments this week for unlawful possession of firearms, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. One defendant is also facing a drug charge and a gun offense tied to drug trafficking.

    The indictments are the result of an ongoing collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Union County Sheriff’s Office, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), to combat crime, reduce violence, and remove illegal firearms from the hands of prohibited individuals and convicted felons.

    “Protecting communities across Western North Carolina is one of our highest priorities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron. “We will continue to enforce federal firearms laws and partner with law enforcement to remove illegal guns from our streets and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”

    The five individuals indicted this week and the charges against them are:

    • Jonathan Glendale Denton, 41, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
    • Rex Allen Hawkins, 53, of Traphill, N.C. – charged with possession of firearms by a felon, including a shotgun, a rifle, and ammunition seized from his residence during a probation search.
    • Mitchell Clydero Patterson, 37, of Spring Lake, N.C. – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
    • Anthony Dion Tribble, 27, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
    • Timothy Demetrius Williams, 34, of Charlotte – charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a stolen firearm.

    The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    The cases are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.

    Federal law prohibits individuals from possessing a firearm if they fall into certain restricted categories, including convicted felons, fugitives from justice, illegal aliens, individuals convicted of domestic violence, and unlawful users of controlled substances. Additionally, it is illegal to possess a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime or a violent offense. Federal law also prohibits the straw purchase of a firearm, wherein a person who can lawfully purchase a firearm buys a gun, or attempts to do so, for a prohibited person. Federal law also requires that individuals who are engaged in the business of dealing in firearms be licensed by the ATF. For additional information and resources please visit www.atf.gov.

    These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For more information about PSN in the Western District, please visit our website.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Leader Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Andre Alonte Willis, 33, of Washington, D.C., and a leader of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street crew, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison on five felony convictions related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia. 

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, ATF Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                On September 12, 2024, a jury convicted Willis, also known as “Boogie,” of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana; conspiracy to use, carry, and possess firearms and machine guns in furtherance of drug trafficking; illegal possession and transfer of a machine gun; possession with intent to distribute marijuana; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.   

                Evidence at trial proved that Willis was a “big homie” in the D.C. street crew known as “Push Dat Shit” or “PDS,” and was the gang’s primary source of exotic strains of marijuana that he acquired from a variety of sources in California. FBI agents seized $150,000 in cash, along with a loaded handgun and marijuana packaged for distribution from Willis’ apartment when he was arrested.

                PDS maintained gang territory on the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast, and adjacent areas, and operated an open air drug market outside the Holiday Market. In approximately August 2018, PDS became allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG.”  Between August 2018 and April 2023, members of the allied PDS/JG street crew sold drugs from Holiday Market and from “trap houses” that they maintained in apartment buildings surrounding that location. 

                As their drug business grew, PDS/JG became the target of drive-by shootings conducted by rival gangs – shootings they referred to as “spinning the block.” Beginning in approximately August 2019, a PDS/JG member began assembling and distributing fully automatic AR-Pistol assault rifles that he purchased as “kits” from online retailers. Such firearms are defined as “privately made firearms” by the ATF but are frequently referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.  PDS/JG members used, carried, and possessed these “ghost gun” AR-Pistol machine guns in order to both defend their territory from rival gangs, but also to “spin the block” on rival gangs in order to deter and dissuade the rivals from entering PDS/JG territory. PDS/JG members “kept score” with rival gangs, and the points earned by “spinning the block” varied depending on the “importance” of the people that were injured or killed

                In calculating Willis’ sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson included sentencing enhancements based on her finding that the conspiracy involved between 400 and 700 kilograms of marijuana, as well as her findings that Willis was a leader of more than five people in jointly-undertaken criminal conduct, and that he recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to others in the course of fleeing from the FBI to avoid arrest. Wills was also ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence.

                This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, and MPD. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Nelson and Justin Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

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